OpenAI says that it can retain chats and related screenshots from customers using Operator, the company’s AI “agent” tool, for up to 90 days – even if the user manually deletes them.
OpenAI has similar deleted data retention policy for ChatGPTchatbot platform based on artificial intelligence. However, the storage period of ChatGPT is only 30 days, which is 60 days shorter than that of the Operator.
OpenAI states that the Operator’s data retention policies are intended to combat abuse. “Because agents are a relatively new technology, we wanted to ensure that our teams had time to better understand and analyze potential vectors of abuse,” an OpenAI spokesperson told TechCrunch. “This retention period allows us to improve fraud monitoring and ensure the product is safe from misuse, while ensuring users have control over their data.”
OpenAI announced the Operator announcement on Thursday and made it available in a research version to subscribers of the company’s $200 per month ChatGPT Pro plan. The operator is a universal AI agent with a built-in browser that can independently perform specific actions on websites.
OpenAI claims that Operator can automate tasks such as booking accommodations while traveling, making restaurant reservations, and online shopping. In the Operator interface, users can choose from several categories of tasks, including shopping, delivery, dining and travel.
The operator captures screenshots of the built-in browser to assist him understand how and when to take actions in applications, such as when to operate buttons and which forms to fill out. To be clear, Operator does not capture screenshots when it gets “locked”, such as when the tool needs a password. OpenAI calls this “takeover” mode.
Still, some users may be wary of voluntarily sending screenshots of their online activities to a company that may keep them for more than three months. OpenAI notes that, as with ChatGPT, Operator data may be accessed by “a limited number of authorized OpenAI employees” and “trusted service providers” for purposes such as investigating abuse and resolving legal matters.